Internet Trolls

Forum members, why do you think trolls come to this forum? When a new member (one who has recently signed up for an account in the last, oh, two weeks or so and has posted fewer than 5 comments) posts an inflammatory comment about a reputable company, should we even bother with posting responses other than to denounce the original jab? Especially when the OP replies to helpful comments with an insult. Methinks trolls might get their jollies from watching the thread grow. How can we discourage time-wasting trolls?

Here's what Wiki says: In Internet slang, a troll is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.

Mystery Shopper since 1998; Author of Make Money Mystery Shopping available on Amazon in the Kindle Store.

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I think trolls mostly come here seeking vengeance against a company for an interaction that didn't go their way. They don't want solutions. They want to wreak havoc against the company on the internet.

Forum members should be able to post negative experiences which are substantiated by facts and presented in a professional manner without histrionics. This is information that should be shared and is helpful to everyone.

Rants of any nature should not be welcomed or tolerated. Issues of a personal nature with schedulers/editors/MSCs should be addressed one on one with the other party (or parties) before being brought to the forum. We cannot solve personality issues and we cannot correct anger and rudeness on either side. We can only offer suggestions as to how to improve any situation.

If our suggestions are not acceptable, perhaps we should not be consulted.

Here's how I suggest we handle some of our problems:

(1) Moderators would adjust every inflammatory thread title to a non-inflammatory title.

(2) As soon as a rant becomes apparent, disagreeing/disapproving members should post a one word response: "Toggle." Then do it.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.

Don't feed the trolls and they will find another forum.

Former mystery shopper, current merchandiser.

This "stooge" agrees!

Toggle, problem solved.

Some regularly argumentative and abusive posters call anyone who responds to them as trolls, so why not just toggle and make this Forum less chaotic. Toggle is a very good feature.

I would not be surprised if some of the "trolls" are long time members who are disgruntled with an MSC and have an axe to grind. They don't want to post with the established name as they are outed with many companies and schedulers and decide to make a new identity to slander a company they feel has wronged them.

Then there are the new shoppers who didn't follow the shop guidelines and did a $50+ shop and it was rejected for missing a critical step of the shop by ordering the wrong items or not taking required photos and want to blame the MSC who cannot submit the report to the customer.

Have you ever noticed those mistakes are always referred to as "minor?" My favorite is when they admit to multiple minor mistakes, all on the same shop

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

Then there are some regular posters that are slightly trollish.
Sort of like this:

They know what they are doing and act very innocent about it.
I'm not going to call out anyone.

That's really funny and so human-like.

There should be a forum section for "Rants Only"... call it the Venting Forum or something. I have been known to rant in the past, and it's a healthy outlet.

Arguing with fools is like playing chess with a pigeon...
...No matter how good you are, the pigeon will s@^t on the board and strut around like it won anyway.

Not scheduling for ANY company.

@MDavisnowell wrote:

I think trolls mostly come here seeking vengeance against a company for an interaction that didn't go their way. They don't want solutions. They want to wreak havoc against the company on the internet.

Forum members should be able to post negative experiences which are substantiated by facts and presented in a professional manner without histrionics. This is information that should be shared and is helpful to everyone.

Rants of any nature should not be welcomed or tolerated. Issues of a personal nature with schedulers/editors/MSCs should be addressed one on one with the other party (or parties) before being brought to the forum. We cannot solve personality issues and we cannot correct anger and rudeness on either side. We can only offer suggestions as to how to improve any situation.

If our suggestions are not acceptable, perhaps we should not be consulted.

Here's how I suggest we handle some of our problems:

(1) Moderators would adjust every inflammatory thread title to a non-inflammatory title.

(2) As soon as a rant becomes apparent, disagreeing/disapproving members should post a one word response: "Toggle." Then do it.

Although I agree with Dante that it would be nice to have a special area for venting, I think we should define vent. To some, "talking through the situation" with a little complaint is venting. To others, "venting" is a full-fledged, highly inflammatory temper tantrum, complete with the online version of screaming, cursing, stamping feet, and holding breath. My thought is that reasonable, professional expression of feelings should be allowed, inflammatory language and emotional tirades unsupported by details
should not.

I'm pretty much in agreement with Mary's ideas.

Edited because spell checker keeps changing my words.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/29/2015 11:51AM by AustinMom.

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Internet Trolls

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